How to Quote a Video

To quote a video, transcribe the spoken words exactly, put them in quotation marks, and cite the source with a timestamp instead of a page number. A timestamp uses hours, minutes, and seconds: in MLA it looks like (Kurzgesagt 00:03:12); in APA it looks like (Kurzgesagt, 2020, 3:12). The full entry names whoever posted the video, the title, the platform, the date, and the URL. This works for any online video, whether it lives on YouTube, Vimeo, a news site, or a course platform.

Quote a video in MLA 9

MLA starts the Works Cited entry with the video’s creator if that person is clearly the author; otherwise it starts with the title. The platform is the container, in italics, and “uploaded by” credits the channel.

• “The Egg – A Short Story.” YouTube, uploaded by Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell, 6 Dec. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6fcK_fRYaI.

The in-text citation gives the first element of the entry plus the timestamp of the moment you are quoting: (“The Egg” 00:02:40). MLA does not put a comma between the title and the timestamp. In a sentence: The narrator explains that “you are all humanity” (“The Egg” 00:02:40).

Quote a video in APA 7

APA treats an online video as an audiovisual work. The author is the account that uploaded it, followed by the date, the italicized title, “[Video],” the platform, and the URL.

• Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell. (2019, December 6). The egg – A short story [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6fcK_fRYaI

For a direct quote, the in-text citation adds a timestamp to the moment the quote begins: (Kurzgesagt, 2019, 2:40). APA writes the timestamp without leading zeros. If the real speaker differs from the uploader, name the speaker in your sentence and keep the uploader as the reference author, since that is who readers search to find the video.

Why timestamps replace page numbers

A video has no pages, so the timestamp does the same job: it points a reader to the exact spot. Use the timestamp shown by the player at the start of the quoted words. If you quote a stretch of dialogue, you can give a range, such as 00:02:40–00:03:05 in MLA. The principle is the same one that governs any source without pages, which is laid out in how to cite a quote and when you need a page number.

Transcribing the quote accurately

Spoken language is messy. Transcribe what is actually said, including filler only if it matters to your point; otherwise quote the clean phrase and use an ellipsis for anything you cut. Do not clean up grammar inside the quotation marks. If auto-generated captions are available, check them against the audio, because they routinely mishear names and technical terms. A film released commercially follows a slightly different pattern than a user-uploaded clip, covered in how to quote a movie. Song lyrics performed in a video have their own line-break rules, in how to quote a song.

Videos on non-YouTube platforms

The structure holds across platforms; only the container name changes. On Vimeo the container is Vimeo; on a news site it is the site’s name; on a streaming lecture platform it is that platform. Keep the URL to the specific video, not the channel’s front page. When a video is embedded in an article, decide whether you are quoting the video or the article’s text, and cite the one you actually used. For quoting a source that lives on a webpage generally, see how to cite a quote from a website.

FAQ

What timestamp do I use, the start or end of the quote?

Use the timestamp where the quoted words begin. If the quote is long or you want to mark its full span, give a range from the start to the end in MLA. APA typically uses a single start time.

Do I cite the speaker or the channel that uploaded the video?

Cite the account that uploaded the video as the author in the reference, because that is what readers use to find it. If a different person is speaking, name that person in your sentence so credit is clear.

How do I quote a video with no upload date?

In MLA, give as much of the date as the platform shows and omit what is missing. In APA, use “(n.d.)” for no date. Keep the URL so the reader can still locate the video.

Can I quote auto-generated captions?

Only after checking them against the audio. Auto-captions frequently mistranscribe names, jargon, and homophones. Quote what you can verify by listening, and mark any uncertain word rather than guessing.